I am writing this article in a state of high emotion, because I have never been so close to being scammed (and robbed of my money) as I was today.
Important context - I consider myself an aware, experienced person who knows the current digital realities - and I am still in shock at how easily I could have been deceived. Literally one more moment, and I would probably have had a serious problem with third parties gaining access to my bank account.
Okay, from the beginning: I am selling a monitor. A trivial task that had been hanging over me for a week. I listed the monitor on OLX. Listed it and forgot about it.
Today, while working, I receive a message on WhatsApp.
Look at this. Everything matches. A smiling woman with her daughter on the profile picture. Polish number. Everything seems correct. She sends me a photo of my listing.
Okay, she asked for my email, and here a red flag should have gone up, because everything is already on OLX.
But I just wanted to sell the monitor quickly. So WITHOUT THINKING, I give my email.
The scammer sends me a PHOTO FROM A PHONE (not a screenshot, a photo) showing they purchased the item. Again, everything looks legit, right?
I check my email. I get an email from OLX.
Well, everything is fine: payment received, some reference number, etc.
I hadn't yet noticed the word SUNRISE next to OLX.
I click the button GO TO ACCOUNT (stupidly!!! but again, I wanted to get it over with because it's a trivial matter). I click. A page appears:
OF COURSE I WANT TO RECEIVE THE FUNDS - so I click. STUPIDLY.
I don't think, again, this monitor is a trivial thing, I want to get rid of it.
Look, doesn't everything match, right?
When I click on the bank, it takes me to the bank login method.
When I click on Messages or Your Account, it takes me to MY OLX.
Only when I try to click the OLX logo or Why do I need to provide my data - does nothing happen :)
I seriously, I was already clicking on my bank, when suddenly FINALLY I STARTED TO WONDER, wait, did she need my email? Why do I suddenly have to log into my own bank?
And only at that moment did I start checking the BASICS, i.e., the email:
Here I had 100% certainty.
Then I clicked their site again and checked the link:
And here look at the difference between the real site and the scammer's site. Look how OLX slightly changes its layout.
Literally a minute later - I would have been without money.
Listen, this is terrifying, let me say it again - I consider myself an aware person, I know scam mechanisms, and today I almost gave scammers my bank details.
Why?
Because I was working.
Because I wanted to close the topic quickly.
Because it's just some monitor to sell.
STUPIDITY
If I was so close, I'm really afraid to think how easily someone who isn't immersed in these topics every day falls into this trap.
Eventually they see the OLX logo, a photo of a smiling lady, payment confirmation. Everything looks familiar. So they click. Exactly like I clicked.
I WILL NEVER SAY AGAIN: "Heh, how can anyone fall for something like that?"
Literally today I almost fell for it. I have knowledge, experience, and all the reasons to recognize it. And yet I almost got caught.
